This Is England
Directed by Shane Meadows
- drama
- crime
The story
A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends, even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.
What it’s like
Gritty, sun-faded 1980s Midlands in a grainy 16mm-style look: washed-out greys, drab council estates, cheap tracksuits and Doc Martens, with bursts of warm amber in kitchens and pub interiors. The camera stays close and handheld, often at the height of its young lead, so scenes feel intimate and unpredictable. Music does heavy lifting, with ska, reggae and a mournful sparse score that makes the quieter moments ache. The vibe is bruised, nostalgic and uneasy, a melancholy coming-of-age that turns sharply into a jolt of anger and grief. Pacing is loose and naturalistic, with long stretches of hanging around punctuated by sudden flare-ups. A lonely, fatherless boy finds belonging in a rough gang and slowly learns how fragile and dangerous that brotherhood is. Violence is frequent and real: fistfights, a brutal assault, and racist slurs and xenophobic rhetoric that land hard, with some drug use and vandalism. Some scenes are difficult to sit through, and the emotional wallop comes from the human damage rather than gore. Best for viewers who want unflinching social realism, working-class British drama, and a story about belonging gone wrong, not something gentle.
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